WNY and Buffalo NY Hockey Coverage
December Edition
Lindy Ruff talks Tuesday. ©2024, Micheline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – Before the Sabres re-hired Lindy Ruff, one of the coach’s prominent former players, Jason Pominville, said he texted some friends and told them, “It has to be him. They have to bring him back.”
“Like, this is the time to bring him back,” Pominville wrote to them.
He had no inside information during the Sabres’ search for Don Granato’s replacement. The former winger simply knew Ruff could help a young, talented ... Read the full article
Rick Jeanneret spent 51 years calling games for Buffalo. ©2023, Micheline Veluvolu
Jason Pominville considers himself lucky. The popular former Sabres captain arrived in Buffalo in his early 20s hoping he would hear legendary play-by-play man Rick Jeanneret call his name for scoring a goal.
Well, before his rookie season ended in 2005-06, he scored the scintillating overtime goal that propelled the Sabres to a playoff upset against the Ottawa Senators. Just months into his career, he was a part of one of Jeanneret’s signature calls.
“I ... Read the full article
Rochester coach Seth Appert, shown here standing behind center Mason Jobst, knows his players will benefit from a long playoff run. ©2023, Micheline Veluvolu, Rochester Americans
ROCHESTER – Before the Americans staved off elimination by defeating the Hershey Bears on Wednesday, coach Seth Appert asked his assistants and some veterans how many times they had competed in a conference finals or championship.
Michael Peca, who played 13 seasons and captained the Buffalo Sabres to the Stanley Cup final in 1999, told him three. Mike Weber, who played 10 years, said he never advanced that far. Defenseman Matt Bartkowski, a ... Read the full article
Craig Anderson has played 25 games this season. ©2023, Michelline Veluvolu
BUFFALO – In his two-year career with the Sabres, veteran goalie Craig Anderson had never been pulled from a game before Tuesday’s ugly 7-3 loss to the Nashville Predators.
Despite being the NHL’s oldest player, the 41-year-old’s play hasn’t declined much. Sure, he can’t handle a heavy workload anymore. Age has relegated him to backup status. Throughout his 20th season, he has started about once a week.
Anderson has performed so well at times ... Read the full article
Ilya Lyubushkin hadn’t scored a goal since last season. ©2023, Micheline Veluvolu
Ilya Lyubushkin had scored zero goals in his first 41 games with the Buffalo Sabres. In his five-year NHL career, the gritty Russian defenseman had scored just three goals in 252 contests, his last coming 10 months ago.
But when Lyubushkin grabbed the puck from Lightning captain Steven Stamkos in overtime Thursday and set off on a rare short-handed breakaway, Sabres coach Don Granato knew something special was about to happen.
“It was weird in ... Read the full article
Jason Pominville scored 19 goals in just 18 games for Rochester in 2005-06. ©2023, Rochester Americans
ROCHESTER – No one, it seems, except for perhaps Jason Pominville himself, could believe the Buffalo Sabres did it.
Sure, the team was stacked up front in 2005 as the NHL emerged from the lockout. But why would they waive Pominville, one of their top prospects? He was out of options, and if they wanted to assign him to the Americans again, he would have to clear.
Every other team would have a chance to ... Read the full article
Tage Thompson has scored 21 goals this season. ©2022, Micheline Veluvolu
We’re going to break this down a bit because center Tage Thompson’s brilliant five-goal, six-point night ranks as one of the greatest performances in the Buffalo Sabres’ 53-year history.
Thompson, 25, was downright dominant early in Wednesday’s 9-4 annihilation of the hapless Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena, scoring four goals and five points in the first period as the Sabres opened up a stunning 6-0 lead.
Incredibly, he recorded his second hat trick ... Read the full article
Kyle Okposo models Buffalo’s new third jersey. ©2022, Buffalo Sabres
Having grown up a rabid Buffalo Sabres fan in the early 2000s, the team’s black and red “Goathead” jersey holds special meaning for winger Alex Tuch.
“Definitely my favorite jersey (of all-time),” a smiling Tuch said Monday after the Sabres unveiled a new black and red jersey modeled after the uniforms they wore from 1996 to 2006.
The Sabres, of course, also recently introduced a blue and gold Reverse Retro alternate white jersey with the ... Read the full article
Ryan Miller sported the “Goathead” jersey early in his career. ©2022, Janet Schultz
The Buffalo Sabres are bringing back the popular black and red “Goathead” jersey for 12 home games this season, the team announced Wednesday.
Fans, of course, feel nostalgic about that logo and color scheme, which the Sabres wore from 1996 until 2006, when they switched back to a blue and gold motif.... Read the full article
Christian Wolanin talks to the media Monday. ©2021, Olean Times Herald
BUFFALO – Barely two years ago, Sabres newcomer Christian Wolanin figured more NHL success would follow his standout rookie season. After morphing into a dominant AHL defenseman, he forced his way up to Ottawa, becoming one of the Senators’ regulars.
Then Wolanin tore his labrum preparing for training camp in 2019 and underwent surgery. The injury sidelined him until early March. Days after he returned, the COVID-19 pandemic ended the Senators’ season.
Last year, the ... Read the full article